Codiac RCMP incur $175K in overtime in Baylee Wylie murder case

Codiac Regional RCMP's investigation into the violent December murder of Moncton teen Baylee Wylie cost an estimated $175,000 in overtime expenses, according to the treasurer of the policing authority.

At the monthly Codiac Regional Policing Authority (CRPA) meeting on May 11, Paul Van Iderstine said the overtime costs associated with the murder in February were an anomaly.

"I believe it was $125,000 we had gone through last month and then we have another $50,000 in this month. So that's about $175,000 on the homicide costs," he said.

Charles Leger, acting chairman of the CRPA, said the amount doesn't raise any flags for him.

"You know, I think unfortunately that's the cost of policing," said Leger.

The CRPA goes over Codiac's finances each month, and Leger feels the department does the best it can to keep expenses to a minimum.

"Certainly with the gruesomeness of what has been reported it was certainly something that needed to be done immediately and I think the RCMP did a great job under the circumstances."

Const. Jullie Rogers-Marsh, spokeswoman for the RCMP in New Brunswick, said the force can't break down what the costs covered.

"For operational reasons and because the matter is still before the courts, you know, we wouldn't be able to get into the details of the investigation," she said.

"Murder investigations are very serious files and can be complex and there are frequently costs associated with overtime because time is of the essence when investigating these types of crimes."

7 people charged

Wylie, 18, lost his life in what RCMP have described as an extremely violent murder, but no details have been released. His body was discovered by firefighters in a burned apartment on Sumac Street on Dec. 17.

Seven people have been charged in connection with his death and all remain in custody.

Shortly after firefighters found Wylie's body, Devin Morningstar, 18, of Moncton, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and arson.

Also accused of committing first-degree murder and arson are Tyler Noel, 19, and Marissa Shephard, 20, both of Moncton. RCMP issued Canada-wide warrants for their arrests.

Noel was arrested three weeks later near Petitcodiac with two other men. He has been ordered to stand trial and is scheduled to return to court on July 4 to set a trial date.

Shephard spent 10 weeks eluding police. She was arrested at a Moncton hotel with the father of her child and another woman, only a few kilometres from the murder scene. 

Shephard, who has been deemed fit to stand trial, is scheduled to return to court on Friday to set a date for a preliminary hearing.

Two men who were arrested with Noel, Bradley Bonnell, 20, and Zachary Holden, 19, are accused of assisting him to evade police, and are charged with being accessories to murder after the fact.

Bonnell has elected to be tried by judge and jury on that charge and a charge of unlawfully entering a residence. He is scheduled to return to court on June 9 to set a trial date and to enter pleas on possession of stolen property charges.

Holden is due back in court on June 6 to face the accessory charge, possession of stolen property charges, as well as charges of dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.

The man and woman arrested with Shephard were also both charged with being an accessory after the fact to the murder of Wylie by allegedly assisting her to evade police.

Stephen Nagle, 22, changed his plea to guilty, and was sentenced to nine months in jail and one year of probation.

Krystal Dawn Toole, 32, has been ordered to stand trial. A trial date is expected to set on June 6.